The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, announces that the World Motor Sport Council has held its mid-2026 meeting during the FIA Conference in Macau today, 23 June. The global FIA community is gathered for a week of knowledge-sharing and collaboration, bringing best governance practices to Member Clubs and approving key regulations amid a landmark year for motor sport competition.
H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, opened the meeting by addressing the members on the major milestones already achieved in 2026, as well as those still to come.
The FIA President said: “The first half of 2026 has been characterised by progress. We have witnessed new race winners and emerging talent across our championships and celebrated iconic events including the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, showcasing the very best of our sport to millions of fans globally. We continue to deliver on our commitment to create motorsport that is safe, exciting, sustainable and accessible. These achievements are only possible because of the efforts of this World Motor Sport Council, our Members, and our entire FIA community.”
The recent conclusion of a candidate event for the potential return of the FIA World Rally Championship to the United States, together with the upcoming change in promoter for the WRC and recent announcements of an expanded FIA World Endurance Championship calendar and the future direction of the Hypercar regulations, are indicative of the FIA’s ongoing work across its global championships.
The FIA President concluded his opening address adding, “Together, these developments demonstrate that this is a pivotal moment for the FIA’s global championships. We are growing, expanding into new markets, attracting new audiences and we are creating stronger foundations for the future.”
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The following is a summary of decisions taken at today’s World Motor Sport Council meeting in Macau:
Brands Hatch, Circuit of The Americas and Zandvoort join Formula E calendar as updates to the sporting format approved
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar approved today by the World Motor Sport Council comprises a record-breaking 21 races across 13 global cities, featuring a mixture of street circuits and a number of new permanent circuits, preserving the fundamental DNA of the championship whilst embracing the new levels of power and performance that arrive with the GEN4 car in December 2026.
GEN4 – Innovative sporting format for the most advanced Formula E car ever
A raft of significant updates to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Sporting Regulations were approved today by the World Motor Sport Council, adding to the excitement already building ahead of the introduction of the GEN4 car for the 2026-27 season. The regulations have been developed to maximise the capabilities of the new car, which will feature permanent all-wheel drive and two power levels: 450kW in Race Mode and 600kW in Attack Mode.
The 2026-27 season, which kicks off in December, will see the introduction of two different race formats on double-header race weekends:
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The Classic Efficiency Race or E-Prix, featuring a low-downforce configuration and Pit Boost.
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An all-new, shorter Performance Race or E-PrixUnleashed, featuring high-downforce configuration without Pit Boost.
The aerodynamic configuration for each event will be confirmed 21 days before the race.
As part of the upcoming regulatory refinements, wet tyres will be introduced and may be used when the Race Director declares wet track conditions, while the all-weather tyre allocation remains unchanged.
Lastly, points will now be awarded in qualifying for both the Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championships:
- 1 point for reaching the Duels
- 1 point for each Duel won
- 1 additional point for winning the Final Duel (Pole Position)
The Formula E 2026-27 Regulations have been restructured for greater clarity, and now include the new General Provisions and a dedicated definitions appendix in addition to the existing Sporting, Technical and Financial Regulations.
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WRC27 set for more competition at the top with Rally2 upgrade kit approved
Following the recent creation of an FIA Esports Hill Climb project, the World Motor Sport Council today approved regulations for the FIA Esports European Hill Climb Cup, adding another significant growth area for this accessible category.
In collaboration with ACL Sport, this new Esports competition will be launched on the RaceRoom platform, featuring the iconic BMW 134 Judd V8 – driven by the legendary Georg Plasa in real-world Hill Climb events. The tournament will unfold in two high-stakes stages, beginning with an open online qualification from 20 August to 9 September on an existing RaceRoom Hill Climb track, where the eight fastest drivers will secure their place in the finals.
The action then moves onsite to Luxembourg from October 11-13 for stage two, where finalists will face the ultimate test of skill on a course on RaceRoom kept strictly under wraps until race day to ensure a level playing field.
The World Motor Sport Council has also approved the creation of a separate Esports Code to regulate FIA Esports Competitions. This now replaces Appendix E to the International Sporting Code, which was always intended to be a temporary appendix to manage ongoing Competitions while the separate Esports Code was developed.
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The FIA has introduced new provisions in the Regional Rally Sporting Regulations to improve accessibility for drivers and co-drivers with disabilities across regional rallying.
Under the new regulations, organisers may issue additional passes for up to two team members to access specific rally locations, including time controls, media zones and podium areas, where required to support the movement or handling of a wheelchair or medical equipment for a crew member with a disability.
The regulations also permit one team member to enter Parc Fermé to assist a crew member with mobility, or to support the handling of a wheelchair or medical equipment. In addition, one team member may replace a crew member with a disability for the purpose of carrying out service operations.
Organisers will also be required to take accessibility requirements into account when planning event infrastructure, including Rally HQ, service parks and podium areas.
Together, the new provisions are designed to better support competitors with disabilities and increase accessibility across all aspects of regional rallying.
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FIA Historic Motor Sport Commission unveils Historic Roadmap to strengthen period compliance through 2030
Amendments to the GT3 technical regulations, in line with the Sustainability Roadmap previously defined by the Commission, have been approved.
These will include the exclusive use of sustainable fuel becoming mandatory in any GT3 competition from 2028. The change is aligned with the previous introduction of sustainable fuel to the FIA GT World Cup in 2024.
In addition, all tyres used in GT3 competitions will be required to contain a minimum of 20 per cent sustainable materials, either bio-sourced and/or recycled, from 2028 onwards. This follows on from the recent appointment of the tyre supplier for the FIA World Endurance Championships’ LMGT3 class, which will utilise tyres made from 66 per cent sustainable materials during the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons.
These changes represent the next step in the FIA’s long-term strategy to increase sustainability in GT racing while maintaining current levels of performance, cost and competitiveness within the class.
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FIA Truck Racing Commission
The current specification of trucks will continue to compete under dedicated a set of regulations, known as Category II, and are expected to remain eligible until at least 2030.
Alongside the Category II, a new Category I specification will be introduced to increase road relevance and facilitate the integration of future powertrain technologies. The new regulations are being developed with several key objectives, including reducing vehicle weight and operating costs, improving safety, increasing the use of components derived from series-production trucks, and further enhancing sustainability.
The new Category I chassis regulations will also promote greater technical freedom through open suspension geometry, improved vehicle dynamics and increased chassis stiffness. In addition, the Category I trucks will be ballast-compatible and designed to accommodate multiple energy sources, including fully electric, hybrid and liquid hydrogen (LH₂) powertrains in the future.
The roadmap presented to the World Motor Sport Council foresees completion of a first draft of the new Category I chassis regulations by the end of 2026, allowing homologation from 2027, with the objective of becoming eligible for Goodyear FIA ETRC competition from 2028.
Development of the Category I powertrain regulations will follow a separate timeline, with a first draft planned by the end of 2027 and development work commencing in 2028.
The introduction of these new regulations aims to secure a sustainable long-term future for truck racing while maintaining continuity for existing competitors.
Beyond Goodyear FIA ETRC, FIA Truck Racing regulations are also adopted by a number of national truck racing competitions across Europe, therefore the new technical road map is set to have a broader impact on the future of the discipline.
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FIA Drifting Commission
The World Motor Sport Council approved the sporting regulations for the 2026 editions of the FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup and the new-for-2026 FIA Central Asia Drifting Cup, outlining the entry periods for both competitions.
Registration for FIA IDC competitors will open on 13 July and close on 1 October. However, between 26 June and 13 July, any National Sporting Authority may express its interest in entering one driver from its nation. The entry list will be limited to 50 drivers, representing a five-slot increase compared to the 2025 edition. As in previous years, two titles will be awarded: the Drivers’ Title and the Nations Cup.
Registration for FIA Central Asia Drifting Cup competitors will open on 26 June and close on 1 September. There will be no limit on entries, with both a Drivers’ Title and a Teams’ Title to be awarded.
The venues and dates for both competitions were announced in May. The FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup will take place at the Serres Circuit in Greece from 13 to 15 November, while the inaugural FIA Central Asia Drifting Cup is scheduled for 25 to 27 September 2026 at the Sokol International Circuit in Kazakhstan.
Sporting and technical regulations for both events can be found on FIA.com.
New red flag procedure approved
An update to the International Sporting Code has been approved to strengthen the safety procedures that apply during a red flag scenario. Under the new regulations, all cars must be prepared to stop and proceed to an area specified by the Race Director, set out in the competition notes.
Previously, all cars were required to proceed to the Red Flag line on the track. The updated regulations give Race Directors the flexibility to adapt the red flag procedure to the specific characteristics of the track and the bespoke approaches required across the various championships and disciplines governed by the International Sporting Code.
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2026 FIA sporting calendars were updated and approved as follows: CLICK HERE
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Upcoming World Motor Sport Council Meetings
15 October 2026: Virtual
10 December 2026: Shanghai, China – within the framework of the 2026 FIA General Assemblies
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